Welcome, old and new readers, to Delicate Balance Redux. While I may not have a good naming sense when it comes to titles, they do get the point across. The twins are back and hopefully, better than before. I do ask if you had read the old version, please do not spoil the new version. This is free work, I take my time to write this, and I will not appreciate people spouting about what had changed and what had not.
To the new people, welcome. Hope you enjoy the work. I know the prologues are usually boring and such but I ask for a single chance. Don't like it? Okay. Like? Cool. Follow or Favorite? Means a lot. Review? Oh, you flatter me.
As for where we are starting, we are at Half a month after Bell becomes an adventurer OR one day after the start of the anime (According to the wiki timeline). So, there is your main context, considering the scenes ahead.
Obvious Disclaimer: I do not own DanMachi.
...
The wall of the city never looked so high. Staring at it felt like he was walking into a prison. His vision could make out the chips in the stone structure which told its own story. However, it was better than the alternative. The man approached the wall, intent on entering and finding someone. She should already be here, at least that's what she told him the last time they were in communication.
Orario. The Dungeon City.
The place where they wouldn't have to worry about the elves that tried to harm them. A persistent bunch, they were but they could never catch him. The last time he got a Status update was right before they had to split up to make it harder to find.
The guards—one male and one female—who stood near the entrance, noted that this person was geared for a fight but showed no signs of hostility. The green cloak covered the upper body of the person, showing only just below the knees, "Reason for visiting?"
"Adventuring and to meet up with some family. Will most likely be permanent," they responded, their cloak tipping back, allowing some of their face to be seen.
"Five thousa-" the guard started before a bag was placed in their hands.
"I'm aware of the toll," the cloaked person said. "My sister is waiting and I wish to not hold up the line any longer."
The guards shared a look, before the female spoke up, "Are you currently in a Familia, if you are, what level, and do you intend on causing harm to Orario?"
A smile could be seen, not malicious. "Yes, I am in Dia Familia. Currently, level three." The man reached into the confines of his cloak and pulled out a leaflet that contained a symbol. It was a gift from his Goddess. "I hope I don't plan to cause harm to Orario. She wanted us to come here after all."
The first guard glanced at the symbol, "Ahh, I heard rumors of a new Familia was being established. She told us to expect you." Then, they replayed his answer in their minds. "Level three?!"
Thus, the members of the Ganesha Familia were asking him all sorts of questions; all akin to how he was level three outside of Orario. Most spend years, possibly decades at level two, and some never make it at all.
Once the man was past the gates, he continued walking to a destination where he was told to meet up at. While he was walking, he took note of his surroundings. The buildings were much sturdier than the villages he previously visited.
The architecture showed advancements compared to those very same villages. Magic stones primarily powered the city as opposed to candles. The sheer number of people was a surprise to him. Elves, Amazons, Beastmen, Pallums, Dwarves, and Humans all mingled together.
It's no wonder that Orario was sometimes called the 'Melting Pot' of Gekai. Even with how he looked, no one batted an eye. Many people were carrying weapons, potions, and magical staffs. The cloak he wore was a gift and he wouldn't let anything happen to it. He clutched some of the fabric in his hand as a reminder.
He shook his head, having been distracted by the new things he was witnessing. He continued down West Main Street or 'Adventurer's Way', as he found it was called. Carriages and people alike passed him, going on about their business. The buildings all looked different but they all seemed to just fit correctly. The roofs were pretty even and spaced out correctly. He couldn't wait to start running across the roofs. He and his sister did it all the time in the forests. It was a good way to train their hand-eye coordination.
Moving on, the cloaked man eventually weaved through the crowd gazing at the stalls and stores littered in front of the buildings. Many were filled with people, mostly adventurers going to and from the various stalls. Some were textile shops, others food stalls, or even small potion shops. Heh, we didn't have those out there, he thought to himself. Potions that healed wounds were rare outside of Orario. If someone knew how they were instantly the most important person there.
Passing all the shops, he continued down the path and eventually found a tavern. This tavern was the most popular one of them all, according to locals and his own sister. He kept his head on a swivel as he approached like he suspected to be jumped by someone.
Not that it would make much of a difference. He and his sister were level three and have been for five years. Most of the adventurers in Orario were level one, around eighty-five to ninety percent of them. The higher levels became less and less common because of the difficulty it was to level. There were a few level sevens in the world, and one of them was here in the city.
He and his sister are eligible to level but finding a Grand Feat outside the Dungeon was near impossible. He and his sister were lucky to succeed twice in the past nine years. These Grand Feats overload the Excelia in one's body, allowing them to transcend to the next level, gaining a significant power boost. However, they wanted to pad their statuses to their maximum to get the most out of every level.
The scale to level was based on an I0-S999 scale with the letter changing at every one hundred points. Gaining what was called Excelia, and would add points to one's Status. A Status contains five basic abilities: Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility, and Magic. The best way to get Excelia was to enter the Dungeon, underneath the Tower of Babel, at the center of the city. Often called the 'lid' of the Dungeon, it was the tallest structure in Orario. Spanning over fifty stories tall and on some days it looked like it pierced the sky. As for the underbelly of Babel. the monsters that dwell within give a lot more Excelia than their surface counterparts.
That's for a later time. Right now, his sister was most likely waiting for him. She was patient, far more than himself, but even she had her limits. He had to admit that the city was very beautiful in the day and probably looked amazing at night. However, he feels that he will miss camping out with only the moonlight and forests.
The city certainly had a fair look and feel to it, but there was always something more to it. After meeting up with his sister, they both planned to find Dia so they could go register with the Guild as adventurers to her Familia. That way, they could earn money and Excelia without having to worry about the Guild's rules and regulations.
My thoughts are really all over the place, the male thought to himself. He couldn't keep them straight. The tavern he was approaching was called 'Hostess of Fertility', a fairly large place right off the street. It didn't seem to be busy but to be fair, it was the middle of the afternoon. Most adventurers are probably still in the Dungeon or just returning.
The male took the three steps up before opening the door, hearing a bell ring above him. His eyes quickly scanned his surroundings, seeing the many tables and chairs placed in very specific spots. Larger tables ended in the middle, and smaller ones lined the wall. The bar was one of the main attractions of the tavern. There were some patrons there at this time of day. Only one had his interest though. They were wearing a similar cloak to the one he was wearing.
One of the waitresses, wearing a green above-the-knee dress with puffy sleeves, a white apron with a matching headband, a small orange bow under the collar, black leggings, and to cinch the outfit altogether were short brown ankle boots. The first thing he noticed was the elf ears. The second was the bright blue eyes and the last was the blonde hair that descended to just above her nape. He looked closer for a second to notice the roots of her hair were green. "Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility, is it just you today, sir?"
The male pointed to the other cloaked individual, "I'm with her."
The elven waitress turned to look and nodded, "Please follow me." He did so, matching her pace but still two steps behind her. He noted that her steps were silent, and his hearing couldn't catch it. The table was close to the bar and the male noticed the person just tapping the small circular table.
He sat across from her, before turning to the waitress, "Thank you." He reached down to his side and unclipped the sword from his hip, leaning it against the table.
"Not a problem. My name is Ryuu Lion, and I shall help serve you today. If you need anything, please flag one of us down," the elf, Ryuu, said bowing slightly. Her voice was monotone and she didn't seem to smile that often. Her eyes strayed to the weapon he had before looking back to his face.
"Will do," he said before turning to the girl across from him. "What, no hello to your elder brother?"
The girl responded, "Pfft, puhlease! You're only older by six minutes, Isaac. And, you're late. What happened?"
"That still makes me older, Irene," Isaac replied, reaching up and flicking off his hood. "I got a little distracted on the way, this is far different from the villages." Isaac's face had an oval shape and a sharp jawline, the features he inherited from his father. He had a few freckles on his face but it didn't look bad. His hair was a lot messier than one would expect but it just fit his style. The longest strands of bronze hair hit his eyebrows but no further. Hazel eyes greeted Irene.
"That was to be expected, brother." The girl also flicked down her hood, revealing long bronze-colored hair that descended down to her waist when standing. Currently, she has it braided and resting on her chest. Her rounded face was free of freckles or blemishes. She had the traits of their mother. Hazel eyes greeted Isaac, alongside a warm smile.
The one feature that was not glossed over was their ears. They were not typical human ears. While the lower part resembled human ears, the top half did not. They were slightly pointed, making them elves. Not half-elves, but quarter-elves. If one compared the two, Irene would look more like the elf compared to Isaac. He had a roguish appearance. Irene was the beauty between the two.
As for their elven heritage, the concept of full, half, and quarter elves all exist, even further down the line of fractions until the inheritance becomes negligible. Their mother was a half-elf, their father a human. Their maternal Grandmother was an elf, a High Elf, one whose name once spoke volumes throughout the Far West. However, if they said her name now, it would bring unnecessary attention.
They often wonder why she did what she did. Perhaps, at the time, it was the best option but it wasn't the only option.
If it was not obvious, these two are fraternal twins. Isaac was the elder sibling and Irene was the younger sibling. The two were finally able to see one another again. It was a long and lonely few months. They had to travel separately for different reasons.
"How was Melen?"
"It smelled like fish and salt," he deadpanned his sister. "You were supposed to meet me there."
"It got complicated," she shrugged, interlocking her hands under her chin. "Turns out, they were already there."
Isaac frowned, not looking happy with knowing that, "Nothing else happened?"
Irene shook her head, tapping her index fingers against her cheeks, "Nah, gave them the slip. They are persistent. What if they come here?"
"Avoid them, they can't force us," Isaac reassured Irene, putting his hand over hers. She gently grasped it with both of hers.
"Why were they after us?" Irene asked herself but Isaac still answered her anyway.
"Because we're alive. You know how they are."
They said nothing after that for a few moments. Their whispers only reached one another's ears. Many of the tables were getting filled with customers. Irene then remembered something, "Oh, Mama Mia handed me this as soon as I entered." Reaching into the confines of her cloak, she pulled out a small note, a blank envelope. Obviously, there was something inside but the contents were a mystery.
"The owner?" Isaac mused before shaking his head, "Never mind that, what does it say?"
"I don't know, I didn't want to open it without you around and in private but Mia said that we will see Dia tomorrow. She's still finalizing her finances," Irene said as she passed her brother the note, which he put inside his cloak. "Don't know how she can look at all those numbers without getting a headache."
Isaac chuckled, throwing an arm over the back of his chair, "Because she loves it, as she finds it entertaining."
"You know, the weather is so different than it was back home. It's a little colder than I'm used to," Irene complained as she switched topics, shivering a little. While the Far East was surrounded by various water sources, the Far West was surrounded by mountains and deserts. So despite the harsh changes in temperatures, it wasn't a bad place to live. Consider the fact that both of the twins had to leave when they were eight… well…
"Which is why I warned you after leaving the Far West that it would be cold no matter where we are but once again, you didn't listen to the wise advice from your wonderful older brother," Isaac said with a faux accent—gaining a pout from Irene—before reverting to his normal tone, "Are you hungry?"
The pout dropped, "Starving. I wanted to go into the Dungeon but that wasn't a thing I could do yet. By the way, how were the guards?"
"Curious as to how I did half the stuff I do," Isaac asked as he waved down a waitress, the same one as before.
The waitress padded her way over to their small table, "Are you interested in ordering?"
Irene smiled, and Isaac noticed the looks his sister got. Her smile did have its perks much to his everlasting annoyance, "Yes, Miss Ryuu. May we have two chef's specials? Isaac, anything else?"
"Water please?" He asked.
"Two specials and a water," Ryuu echoed, "Water for you as well, Miss?" Irene nodded. "Very well. Welcome to Orario," she said as she walked away to the kitchen area to speak with the chef. The door was located at the other end of the bar.
Once she left the table, Irene looked at her brother, her irises dilating slightly, 'She has experience.'
'I already figured that out while I was walking over to this table. Her footsteps were silent. I didn't hear them even after straining my hearing. Not just her, but all the waitresses except the one with silver hair,' Isaac mentally replied. The reason was simple. The twins, upon getting their Falna from Dia almost a decade ago, were granted a spell that allows them to have twin telepathy. The dilation of their eyes was the only indicator of it being used.
The range of the spell was, at first, minimal. They could barely be fifty meders away from one another before the connection fizzled out. If they tried to push the distance, they would suffer Mind Down, where they would pass out for not having enough 'Mana' to complete the spell. Now, they could just cover the distance in diameter of Orario. While they haven't tested that, they were sure that they could. They did not slack in their magic training, despite Isaac leaning more towards swords.
'And you aren't worried about them eavesdropping?'
'Sister, they already were from the moment I stepped inside,' he smiled at her. "Did you happen to find a place to stay?"
"Mama Mia has rooms. I used my allotted funds for that at her recommendation. She…offered them slightly cheaper than her usual rate. So, you're paying," Irene said. 'Warn me next time.'
Isaac gave a mock offended gasp, "And here I thought you loved me, sister. I planned on paying anyway." He closed his eyes, 'Sure, but you should have figured that anywhere we go, people will have eyes on us.'
"Here you are, two Chef Specials and two glasses of water," Ryuu said, carrying a tray that held their meal. "Do you require anything else?"
"No, thank you, Miss Ryuu," Isaac thanked her. He noticed that she did not correct Irene on the prefix she used, so he followed suit. Ryuu bowed once more before moving on to the next table.
Once the smell of the food hit them, their stomachs growled. "Wow…I never thought food would ever elicit that response."
Irene rolled up her sleeves, the warmth of the food offsetting the cold she would feel otherwise. She gently picked up the utensils provided and began eating. Isaac also began eating, before noticing a head of white hair at the bar. Another waitress was talking to him.
While he could have used his hearing to figure out what was going on, he decided that eavesdropping was not the way. It also seemed that the tavern was finally getting into dinner service as all the tables were full, except a few of the larger ones.
As if the universe was messing with Isaac, the bell above the door rang again, "The reservation is here, nya! Make way for nya Loki Familia!"
With that declaration, the attention was stolen from the quarter elves to the one Prum, two Elves, a Werewolf, twin Amazons, a Dwarf, and one Human. The whispers were of a Sword Princess, Braver, and Nine Hell. There were more but it seemed they were the lesser-known members of the Familia.
'And there they are,' Isaac said.
'Yes but please don't make a scene,' Irene begged her brother. He was always impulsive.
Isaac scoffed lightly, 'No promises.'
Irene would take what she could get, and that was probably the best guarantee she was going to get. The two continued eating their meal in silence whilst talking to each other mentally. They found out that exercising their telepathy spell increased their magic stat in small gains, so it's not uncommon for them to have full conversations in rooms like this.
The other small positive to this was speaking while eating.
Isaac put down his utensils and pushed away the empty plate, cleaning his face with a napkin. He took a drink of water, noting that it was elven spring water. He smiled lightly, knowing that Ryuu was looking out for her fellow elves. It didn't seem like she held those prejudices but this was the first time they'd met.
Irene answered, 'She's different, and definitely your type.'
'Not in the slightest, plus she's a pure-blooded elf, and while I want to believe that she isn't as bad as some others, we don't know her well enough. Seriously, why do you think that every girl I look at is my type?'
Irene hid her giggle behind a hand, making people wonder where that angelic sound was coming from, 'Because I want to be an auntie one day.'
His sharp laugh echoed her, 'You wish but I know that special guy will sweep you off your feet before you realize, even with how you feel about the whole subject.' He didn't say anything else because it would remind him of days long past. Irene nodded at that, not offended in the slightest.
It seemed like minutes passed, but it was about two hours. At this point, they were lounging around, enjoying the company of one another. It was a grueling few months without one another. Dia would have to be informed once they met up again.
"Hey did you hear about the guy who got poached?" An adventurer asked another adventurer. This caught the twins' attention, now focused on them
"Poaching?" Isaac asked softly.
The conversation continued, "Yeah, challenged them to a one-on-one fight but ended up threatening their life and forced the god to transfer them."
The twins scowled, having heard of things like that before. Poaching Familia members from other gods. The two wanted to leave after hearing that tidbit.
Irene was about to flag down Ryuu or another waitress for the bill when they heard the commotion, "H-Hey…hey Ais, why donnze youse tell the…man, I c-could uszz 'notha drink…" He hiccuped twice before blinking at the girl named Ais, "Oh! T-the s-story about that thing?"
"What thing?" they heard a smaller voice ask, given how the bar quieted down to hear this chatter. The girl in question seemed to be apathetic to everyone around her. The twins shifted their attention to the Loki Familia table. They avoided looking at the High Elf at the table.
The werewolf speaking was clearly drunk at this point, "Aboot those giant pigs…uhm, the…the ones…on the fifth floor? Urr, was it fourth? Ya know? The onez got away, savin' that tomato punk?" He slammed back his drink, "Damn, some goods sshizzz…A wimp w-who got cornered by one of them who ran from us. When ya killed it, it got blood all over him."
Irene noticed a white-haired child, looking down, clutching his knees. The female quarter-elf quickly spoke to her brother. 'He's here and now he's suffering from embarrassment. What should we do?'
'I thought you didn't want me to make a scene? Trust me, I'm squirming in my seat. I noticed the kid walk in and sit down at the bar, and he was a little tense but now…he's fuming,' Issac said, fidgeting in his seat. 'I wish Dia was here. She would be able to talk to Loki about him lowering his voice, or better yet, ejecting him from the bar.'
Around the werewolf's table, the Amazon twins could be seen laughing, while the younger of the two elves and the dwarf were enjoying their meals. However, the older elf looked like she wanted to throttle the wolf, just to get him to shut up. The twins did respect that, knowing that she realized that this was wrong.
"And he looked like a bright red tomato. Even better, after our princess saved his ass, he up and ran away screaming. How pathetic and weak is that?" the wolf slapped his knee for emphasis. He didn't care for the kid who lived through a traumatic experience.
"In that situation, he hardly can be blamed," one of the Amazons said, grabbing another helping of her ale.
The green-haired elf spoke, "It was our fault that the minotaurs were allowed to escape from the seventeenth floor. You should be ashamed."
Isaac and Irene could tell that the High Elf was fed up with the wolf's smack talk to an adventurer that was unknowingly in the room. The wolf seemed to be offended by that statement and responded, "Whasss da problem from sayin' trash is trash, huh?" The amber eyes of the werewolf switched to Ais, "Whatss you think? Hypothetically, which one of us gets ya going? Me? Or tomato dork?"
The small Pallum being the peacekeeper he was, "Bete, you're drunk, aren't you? You should probably stop talking."
Ignoring the small fry that was their captain, "Oi, I is talking to you, Ais! If dat brat asked ya out, woulda ya say yes?" Bete continued speaking without a care in the world, "A wimp who's weaker than ya has no right to stand beside you. You yourself would never allow that!" The elf twins watched as the white-haired kid's head sunk deeper and deeper into the table. He was most likely reflecting on the said incident. The final nail in the coffin was harsh, "A wimp isn't good enough for you. Not for Ais Wallenstein."
The sound of a chair being overturned as the kid rushed out of the tavern with one goal. Escape the embarrassment. He never did as he felt a hand on his shoulder. The white-haired boy looked up to see a man with hazel eyes looking more than displeased at Bete. "Well, that's not very nice."
Irene sighed to herself, knowing that she would have done the same thing. She wouldn't allow people to look down on others.
"Yeah? And who dafuq are you?"
Isaac had the perfect retort, "Nobody important but even with someone as much esteem as you shouldn't be so crass to those undeserving. I don't have the full story but it sounds like a Minotaur was on a floor that it wasn't supposed to be."
"Piss off, weakling, isss not ya businezz," the wolf said.
Isaac still had his hand on the boy's shoulder, "Pay for your meal, kid, and then head home. You don't need to be here for this."
"T-Then why did you stop me? He's…he's right…" He said defeated, not noticing the stare from the girl named Ais.
Isaac finally turned to look at him, "And what are you going to do about it? Let him think he's right or work hard to prove him wrong? You got caught in a bad situation and you were saved but…" he smirked at him, "...adventurers must have a little bit of courage and motivation to strive forward, so tell me, are you an adventurer?"
The boy's red eyes lit up with determination, "I am…"
"Good, now pay for your meal, kid," Isaac patted him on the shoulder. Upon seeing the questioning look, he clarified, "So that way, Mama Mia doesn't come after you for not paying, isn't that right, Mama?"
All he got was a gruff response, "That's right." This place was Mama Mia's domain, anything that happened, you answered to her, and she was not merciful. She didn't allow fighting in here, so this was considered neutral territory. The boy quickly left enough valis to cover his meal and ran out the door. Isaac sighed.
"He's going to get himself killed if he lets his emotions overtake his logic," Isaac said. "By the way, Lady Loki, you should probably have him apologize to that guy since he was being quite rude to someone who didn't deserve it." He gestured to the inebriated werewolf.
Irene often wondered how much trouble he was going to get himself into but stayed silent. Her hand did reach inside her cloak to grip something. Something the waitresses noticed, 'Don't do anything stupid.'
"When he becomes sober, I will inform him of what happened but…I've never seen you before so just who are you?" A woman with short red hair asked. The tracksuit covered her top half just under the washboard of a chest, the shorts covered just above her knees, and was currently sipping some ale. The aura she gave off showed that she was a Goddess. Loki, to be precise.
"As I said, nobody important," Isaac replied, still not looking in the direction of the High Elf, who was observing him curiously. "Just wanted to stop something before it could escalate. He's new to adventuring it seemed, and this experience didn't paint it in a good light," he said, walking back to his table with his sister. "That, and I don't want to see Mama Mia angry." A snort from the owner made Isaac grin.
The High Elf narrowed her eyes at them, finding them familiar for one reason or another. She's seen that grin before… "Well then, I appreciate you for diffusing the situation. What's your name?"
"Thinking about recruiting them, Loki?" The Pallum asked.
"Maybe…" Loki admitted.
The twins shared a look, before Irene pointed at Isaac, "He's Isaac."
Isaac returned the point as he trotted over to his table, "She's Irene."
"He's the older one by six minutes."
"She's the younger one by six minutes."
""We're twins.""
Isaac turned to see everyone looking at them weirdly, "Does that answer it?" Getting a nod from the Goddess, he took his seat.
Irene spoke up, having heard her response, "As for your inquiry, we're already in a Familia, but the notion is appreciated, Lady Loki. Brother, I believe we should retire for the night while we wait for our Goddess."
Many people were shocked that they were turning down an informal invitation to join the prestigious Loki Familia. Even Loki found this to be humorous. It's not that she didn't care but she did wonder who they belonged to. She knew most of the Gods or Goddesses that descended from Tenkai. She wanted to ask but she figured that would be overreaching and they weren't obligated to tell her.
With that being said, Isaac pulled out a bag of valis and set it on the table. "It should be enough to cover us, since I believe my sister paid for a room?" The tavern was certainly much more lively because of the gossip the twins have just caused.
Mama Mia, the dwarven Proprietress nodded, "One of my girls will show you the room. How was your meal?"
Irene's smile dazzled many of the male patrons, and even some of the tipsy female ones, "The best thing I've had in months. Traveling has made finding good food a rarity." Isaac agreed with her.
"Thank you, Miss Ryuu, for the spring water, it's been a while since I've had it."
"My pleasure," she responded as she served another table. "I take care of my fellow elves."
"Even though we're not full or half?" He pressed, flicking one of his ears. Isaac wanted to test her. A bit crude but he could never be too sure.
Ryuu shook her head, knowing what he was thinking, "You're still elves, that is what matters. I wish you a good evening." The sky-blue eyes then turned to one of her co-workers. "Syr, please don't bother them."
"Aww, I wasn't going to!" The waitress had silver hair and silver eyes, her tray hidden behind her back. A human by the looks of her, her gaze seemed to be searching for something, but didn't seem to find what she was looking for. "I just wanted to thank them for sticking up for Bell."
"Back to work you two," Mia demanded. "Lunoire, please show them their room." A human with brown hair and matching eyes, wearing the same outfit as the other waitresses nodded. As they were leaving, Mama Mia had one more question for them, "Why did you step in even when you didn't have to?"
Irene turned to Mia and smiled, but it was a plastered smile, to hide her burning anger, "We know what that's like." No elaboration was given but it said more than anything.
The night ended with more questions than answers for some but that was the twins' plan even if it didn't seem like it. One such person would be thinking for the rest of the night into the following day. The reason as to why eluded her.
At least until they meet again.
The next morning, Irene woke before Isaac. She slept soundly, knowing her family was close by. During the months of separation, she found it difficult to stay asleep. She always worried that they were going to find her. So, when she had made it to Melen, the port town a few kilomeders away from Orario—responsible for seafood imports to the Dungeon City—she had let herself think she was safe.
Then, they arrived. They were looking for her. She easily could take all of them in a fight but she would rather not deal with them. Irene already knew who they were, and they were from her home forest. They were the ones responsible.
A groan from her left made her stop thinking. "Good morning, Isaac."
"Mmm, morning Irene," Isaac said from under the duvet cover. "Sleep well?"
She hummed her ascent, "Better than I have before."
"You too, hm?" He asked.
Irene sighed, "We're a mess, aren't we?"
"Probably but that's what happens when the people who were supposed to protect us chose their path," Isaac said, now more awake, if his tone was any indication.
The room they were in was a simple place with two beds instead of the usual one. Curtains blocked a majority of the sun but they were simply not enough to block it in its entirety. The wooden floor was a bit cold when they slipped off their shoes before going to bed that night.
The twins had no problems if they had to share a bed, as it wouldn't be the first time, but the two beds were nice. Isaac inhaled and threw the covers off himself, revealing to be in a pair of boxers and an undershirt. The muscles he developed were showing nicely, giving his body a toned look. A few faded scars could be seen scattered on his body, mostly on his shoulders and arms. A few were on his legs.
Irene also tossed off her covers, wearing a longer shirt and panties. Her legs were toned as well from all her training. Her whole body also had muscle but her curves showed nicely in the right attire. Her adventuring gear hid this. A few blemishes could be seen on her arms and shoulders, and she was proud of them.
Isaac quickly gathered all of his equipment and checked it over. They collected their weapons before being escorted to their room last night. Isaac had a vast arsenal of weapons, especially for one person. A longsword that was attached to his left hip, and two short swords that rested just above the small of his back. On the belt of his gear, he had a few dozen throwing knives; useful for a distraction rather than a weapon. His leg armor also carried two daggers in an emergency.
Just like her brother, Irene also had leg armor and a similar set of daggers in the slots of the armor. She also had a pair of short swords that came from the Far East, a wakizashi and a tanto, respectively. The sheaths they came with were a bland green color but had a special symbol on them.
Unlike her brother, Irene was more along the lines of a mage. Except she also knew how to fight, so the term battlemage applied to her. Her magic staff, or wand, was leaning against her cloak. She was given that by Dia when she found out about her other spell. The staff was a mixture of wood and metal about as tall as her but could collapse into a compact medium for spellcasting, the magic conductivity was balanced out because of it. In that form, she could also use it as a means of defense. The wood it was made from was rumored to be strong as mythril. So far, that has held true.
All of this equipment was supposedly forged by a level four blacksmith in a small mountainous village called Tumalt, after the twins had cleared the mines because there was an infestation of monsters. The monsters were considerably weak but for the average person, they were nightmares. Once they completed the job, they were given a bag of materials that also had a note in it. They were told by the blacksmith to not read the note until they made it to Orario.
The twins knew at that moment that their Grandmother had something to do with it. They hadn't seen her in a good few years, the last time they saw her was when they were eleven, three years after Dia had accepted them into her Familia. From then on, she disappeared.
Now, the reason why the blacksmith didn't complete the job themselves was that they had lost the use of one of their legs. They were crippled but their passion for the forge was as strong as ever. The reason why their Grandmother didn't do the job was that it wasn't a problem then and on the account that she wasn't there.
Both of them were silent as they got ready for the day. "Come on, sister, cheer up. We'll be able to see Dia today!"
"You could at least call her Lady Dia!" Irene shot back.
A small point of contention between the twins. Isaac doesn't see the point in calling their Goddess 'Lady' unless the situation calls for it. On the flip side, Irene proclaims that it's disrespectful to call them by just their name. Naturally, they argue this point over many years and always end up where they started.
"We've been over this, Irene. Now, come on, get dressed, and let's head out. We still have that letter from the blacksmith, what was his name, old man Gerald?"
"Oh!" Irene clapped her hand. She searched through her cloak's pockets and found the letter, addressed to the pair. "Let's read it before we go."
The writing in this letter was very familiar to them.
To my grandchildren,
I imagine that you'd gotten this letter from Gerald if he followed what I left for you. This letter was always meant to get into your hands one day. At the time of this letter, you both would be fourteen.
Now, if you've gotten to Orario, then Mia must have handed one of you a letter. I apologize for having you jump through so many hoops but I would not want to cause a fuss. Our name alone does that. Inside that letter from Mia is a message for my student. You both know exactly who that is. If you met her already, please be respectful.
I want to thank you both for being so good from the last time I saw you. Irene, my bloodline is carried on by you, and I personally recognize that as such no matter what anyone else says. A spell will have appeared on your Falna on your fifteenth birthday. I forewarned Dia of this development. Carve out your legacy like you wanted but use it responsibly. The costs for abusing it are no joking matter.
Isaac, please keep your sister safe. I know she means the world to you and that you would tear the world asunder if something happened. You've proven that you won't go down so easily. That skill on your back proves that you have the will to persevere no matter the cost. Do not share the details with anyone you do not trust. While you cannot inherit the same spell as Irene, you are still a part of my bloodline.
I may pop in one day once I hear news of you both. For now, be good for Dia and…I'm sorry for not being there.
I love you both.
"...so, she's had that ready for a few years now, huh?" He looked upset about something but quickly shook it off, "When you got that, you were out for a day…man, I was so worried," Isaac said as Irene finished reading the letter.
Irene folded the note and stuffed it back into its envelope, "You know, once we reveal ourselves, they will try to poach us."
"Let them try…" Isaac mumbled, thumbing one of his throwing knives. They wouldn't survive if they tried.
Irene sighed at his protective action and agreed, after all. It would be the end of the world if it meant splitting the two apart.
A knock on their door had them on alert. They calmed down once they heard Ryuu's voice, "Good morning, you two. If you would like, Mama Mia made a light breakfast."
"We'll be down shortly, thank you, Miss Ryuu," Irene said, forcing her voice to be normal. It's been so long since she's heard those words. Ryuu purposefully made her steps louder as she left. "Come on, Isaac, we have things to do today."
"Yeah, yeah, on my way," he said, stretching his arms once he got back into his armor. The day was just beginning.
...
Quite different from the original prologue, hm? I've already changed a lot but I cannot speak for everything. I'll let you find those differences. Small tidbit, it's been two years since the twins' story was first published, how's that for an anniversary?
If you have questions, I will answer in reviews/comments.
*All notes will be posted on AO3 and FF, so excuse the (/)s in between. I cannot link the OG since FF hates its own links. Go figure. AO3 will have them.
See you all next time?